Reference device for desks and the like.



. E. R. PROBE-IRR- REFERENCE DEVICE FOR DESKS AND THE LIKE.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 7 1913.

' 1 156 812. Patented 00E 12, 1915;

warren s'rarns rarnnr a men.

EDWIN R. 'PROBERT, 0F COVINGTON, KENTUCKY, ASSIGNQR TO THE MOESCHL-EDWARDS CORRUGATING COMPANY, OF COVINGTON, KENTUCKY, A CORPORA- TION OFKENTUCKY.

REFERENCE DEVICE FOR DESKS AND THE LIKE.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, EDWIN R. PROBERT, acitizen of the United States of America, and a resident of Covington, inthe county of Kenton and State of Kentucky, have in ventsheetscontaining information and figures relating to materials, prices and thelike, and an indexed or indicator tab or handle projecting forwardlyfrom the outer end of each metallic plate; and the invention furtherconsists of a vertical series of horizontal plates of metal or othersuitable material,

paper or like sheets having classified information produced thereon andstuck or other- Wise suitably attached to one or both faces of each ofsaid plates, indexed tabs or handles projecting forwardly from the outerends of said plates and having printed or Written matter thereon thatconforms to the information on the respective sheets, and guide-waysadapted for the sliding and supportin engagement of. the oppositelongitudina edges or sides of said plates; and the invention stillfurther consists of a vertical series of horizontal plates of metalorother suitable material adapted to receive duly at tached paper sheetsof classified information' on one or both faces of each plate, reinforcing hems made along the opposite longitudinal edges or sides of eachplate, indexed tabs or handles projecting from the outer ends of therespective plates, a drawerfront having slort slots or elongatedopenings made therein and adapted to freely acv.commodate the saidindexed tabs or handles of each of said plates so that the outer ends ofsaid indexed-tabs project a suitable viewing and manipulating distancefrom the face of said drawer-front and so that each plate can be drawnoutwardly with said drawerfront independent of the other plates, and

crimped sheets or strips of metal forming guidewaysadapted to thesliding and supportin engagement of the opposite longitudina edges orsides of said plates.

A Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 12, 1915.

Application filed February 7, 1913. Serial No. 746,769.

Other features of the invention herein will be fully hereinafterdescribed and particularly pointed out in the claim.

In the accompanying sheet of drawings, Figure 1 is a fragmentaryperspective view of one upper end of an ordinary fiat-top desk showingmy device in closed position and occupying the place of the ordinaryupper drawer of the desk, which is the most convenient position for theoccupant in connection with the special use of the invention referred toherein; Fig. 2, a fragmentary cross-section showing the top-drawerpocket or chamber having a vertical series of horizontal guide-ways atboth sides of said chamber; Fig. 3, a fragmentary elevation, partly insection, showing the top drawerfront and one of its twoinwardly-extending longitudinal bars that engage guideways or pocketsthat lie parallel to but beneath the vertical series of horizontalguide- Ways for the sliding-plates referred to in connection with Fig.2; Fig. 4, a detail perspective view of one of the special forms ofcrimped sheets or strips of metal that are adapted to form the verticalseries of horizontal guide-ways at both sides of the topdrav cr chamber;Fig. 5, a detail perspective view showing one of the metal plates havinga forwardly-projecting indexed tab or handle at its outer end andadapted to be slid along the guide-ways seen in Fig. (L; and Fig. (i, adetail perspective view showing fragments of the drawer-front, crimpedguide-way sheet or strip and indexed-tab "with an intervening horizontalpartition 6,

as customary.

Instead of using an entire drawer in the top-chamber of thedrawer-casing I use what may be termed a skeleton drawer that is withoutsides, rear end or bottom, a front 7 of the usual form having lower,longitudinal side bars or rear extensions 8 that are dovetailed at 9. Anordinary handle 10 is attached in place to the drawer-front 7,preferably near; its central lower-edge, as

best seen in Figs. 1 and 3. This handle is the usual'manipulating' oneand isused for facilitating the drawing of the skeleton drawer outwardlyfrom its pocket in the upper part of the drawencasing. a 11 indicateseach one of a vertical series."

'of horizontal igrooves or guideways provided in the opposite sides ofthe top-chain- I ber of the drawer-casing and preferably formed inasheet or strip of crimped sheetmetal, as best seen in Fig. 4, suchcrimped sheet being readily made and just as readily attached. in placeby means of tacks 12 dr ven into the sides 2 and 3, as best seen in Fig;2. Qt course strips of wood or the like can be provided 1 instead ofsheet-metal strips and suitable guide-ways made in the inner facesthereof for the purpose that I shall presently describe. The woodenstrips, however, would. not be as convenient or stand the wear of thesheet-nietal ones and not as readily made.

13 indicates an upturned rightangled flange made along the lower edge01" each of the sheets or strips that contain. the

V guide-ways 11. These flanges 13 form gulde-ways for the lower rearextei'isions or pro ecting forwardly from the outer or fore edges oi theplates, as best seen 1n Figs. 1 A and 5. These tabs or tongues 15 formmeans by which the plates 14 are drawn along the. guide-ways 11 fromwithin the upper cham' ber of the drawer-casing and are adapted tocontain index-matter of any kind to show or indicate whateach of theplates 14: has in the shapeof classified, tabulated, or otherinformation of any kind on one or both of .its faces. The said. tabs ortongues 15 extend forwardly through slots 16 that are made in thedrawer-front 7 out of horizontal alinement or in a gradually descendingline, the said tab on the lowermost plate beingnearest its right-handedge while those on the succeeding plates above gradually ascend to theleft-end of the drawer-front.

. The said slots '16 taper inwardly so that they are widest on the innerface of the drawer-front 7, as best seen in Fig. 3 and so that the tabsortongues 15 of all the plates 14: can more-readily enga'gesaid slots asthe d1'awerfront"7 is being. slid into closed position in the desk.

It is not absolutely requisite; have the drawer-front 7 in'theopeningleadin to the chamber in which the reference-c plates is! are housed,except to-prote matter contained on said plates from UH."

authorized use and dust, or other injurious exposure, a suitable lockbeing provided in sald draWer-fr0nt 7 for fastening it inIclosedposition and preventing access to said reiterence-carrylng platesby unauthorized persons. It is notabsolutely necessary either to havethe slots 16 made in said drawer-front 7, as-the plates can-be madeshorter so that the tabs or tongues 15 will not project forward beyondthe inner face of said drawer-front When'clos'ed. In such event thedrawer-front 7 can be readily drawn outward and access easily had to theseveral tabs or tongues of the plates within.- ln such event, too, thereis no danger of tear ing or injuring contact of the clothes and personwith the projecting tabs.

lnorder to operate the device as it is shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings,with the slots 1.6 in the drawer-front and the tabs or I tongueslfiextending outwardly, it is only necessary to take hold of one of thetabs or. tongues 15 that contains the information desired and drawingoutwardly, which act draws the skeleton drawer with that 'par- 'ticulartab or tongue independent oi the other plates within the upper chamberof the desk and without disturbing any of the drawenfront 7 to and fromclosed position.

The plates l lare adapted to the attachment by sticking or otherwise toone or both oftheir respective faces, of sheets of paper or the likecontaining printed matter in the shape of tables o1"- figures, marketquotations, 1

current prices, weights and neasurestimetables, telephone lists, and, infact, information of all kinds for handyreference by the occupant ofthedesk ininaking up estimates or bids or compilations of all kinds. Fig.5shows how strips oi printed sheets 1? or otherwise preparedfsheets orclippings from catalogues ornewspaperalor leaflets, containi gquotations or other desired matter, can be attached tothe face of theplate for immediate reference and out of the way of other matter on thedesk and occupying a place in the desk, practically all its own, andreadily replaced by other quotations, prices and the like to suittheconditions o the current or passing markets.

To so newhat stiffen the skeleton drawer so'thatthe sidebars 8 will nothave any lateral niorement'or becorne loose from drawer-front 3,1provide braces l8 that clear the upper edge of the flange 13 in thespace 19 above said flange in the slidingmovenients of said skeletondrawer. v

To somewhat stifi'en the opposite longitudinal edges 01" the plates ll,so that lighter material might be used, I provide hems' 20, as best seenin Fig. 5.

I claim:

A ready-reference file device comprising a vertical series of horizontalplates of metal or other suitable material adapted to feceivedulyattached paper sheets of classified information on one or both facesof each plate, reinforcing hems made along the opposite longitudinaledges or sides of each plate, in-

dexed tabs or handles projecting from the outer ends of the respectiveplates, a drawerdrawer-front &

front having short slots or elongated openj ings made therein andadapted to freely accommodate the said indexed tabs orhandles of each ofsaid plates so that the outer ends of said indexed tabs can project asuitable viewing-and manipulating distance from the face of saiddrawerfront and so that each plate can be drawn outwardly with saidindependent of the other plates, and eriniped sheets or strips of metalforming guide-Ways adapted to the sliding and supporting engagement ofthe opposite longitudinal edgesor sides of said plates.

' EDWIN R. PROBERT.

Witnesses:

JOHN ELIAs JoNEs, LORETTA LUCK.

